Chennai: AIADMK MPs presented a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi today, seeking his ‘urgent response’ to the firing on Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy on Thursday.

In the memorandum, a copy of which was released to the press here by the AIADMK headquarters, they urged the PM to direct the External Affairs ministry to summon the Sri Lankan High Commissioner and convey strong protest against the attacks on Indian fishermen. “On behalf of our leader (Chief Minister and AIADMK general secretary J Jayalaltihaa), we wish to bring to your immediate attention an extremely serious and disturbing incident which occurred off the coast of Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu in the early hours of 17.11.2016.” They said the Sri Lankan Navy shot at Indian fishermen who were engaged in their peaceful avocation of fishing in their traditional fishing waters in the Palk Bay.

In the present incident, two fishermen sustained bullet injuries and have been admitted to hospital for treatment. “Such an incident of firing has not occurred in the past several years and represents a major escalation in the manner in which the Sri Lankan Navy is dealing with an extremely sensitive livelihood issue of Indian fishermen.” They further said, “The incident of firing on innocent fishermen fishing in their traditional waters has sent shock waves among the fishermen of the Palk Bay districts of Tamil Nadu.”